Hand tool wire wrappers



March 28, 1967 HAND TOOL WIRE WRAPPERS E. L. ALLEN 3,311,139

med oct. e. 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. EDWARD L. ALLE/V AGENT March 28, 1967 E. l.. ALLEN 3,311,139

y HAND TOOL WIRE WRAPPERS l Filed oct. e. 1964 2 sheets-sheet a INVENTOR EDWARD l.. ALLEN. BY

AGENT United States Patent 3,311,139 HAND TUL WIRE WRAPPERS Edward L Allen, Bradford County, Pa., assigner to Ingersoll-Rand Campany, New York, NX., a corporation of New Jersey Filed (1ct. 6, 1964, Ser. No. 401,911 12 Claims. (Cl. 1430-115) This invention relates generally to wire winding devices and particularly to hand tool wire wrappers.

Tools of this type are particularly adapted to wrapping devices with multiple electrical terminals, having a rotatable spindle including a bit with a blind axial bore disposed on the axis of rotation of the spindle to receive such a terminal, and an axially disposed peripheral groove for a stripped end of a wire to be wound. A sleeve is provided around the bit having means `for holding the wire adjacent the portion disposed in the peripheral groove so rotation of the spindle winds the wire in the peripheral groove around the terminal. By this means, a terminal may be wrapped rapidly and uniformly, and provides an intimate connection which may be soldered. The importance of wire wrapping devices can be more fully realized by considering switchboards and electronic control circuits having extremely large numbers of electrical connections to be made.

Such hand tool wire wrappers may be of the type having the wire to be wound inserted into the front of the tool as shown in U.S. Patent 2,927,741 granted Mar. 8, 1960, or may be of the type in which the Wire is fed through the tool from the back as shown, described, and claimed in my co-pending application, Ser. No. 225,501 that was filed Sept. 24, 1962, and is assigned to the assignee of the present application. Wire holding means of the sleeves encircling the bit of a spindle heretofore has been provided by a groove or an abutment as may be seen in the foregoing patent and application. Such wire holding means are immovable and the wire must be bent to engage such holding means.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a wire wrapping tool having resilient wire holding means.

Another object of the present invention is to provide Wire holding means which is substantially alined with the peripheral groove of the tool prior to Winding so the wire disposed in the peripheral groove engages the holding means without being bent.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide the foregoing wire holding means having cutting means.

This invention contemplates wire Wrapper tool having a fixed sleeve, and a bit rotatable in the sleeve with a bore along its axis of rotation to receive a terminal to be wrapped and an axially disposed peripheral groove for the wire to be Wrapped on a terminal in the bore, means for engaging the wire as the bit rotates for wrapping, comprising: an elongated resilient member disposed axially along the sleeve; the elongated member being attached at one end to the sleeve and having a plate member at its other end extending radially toward the axis of rotation of the bit and terminating in a lfree edge disposed radially outward of the bore in the bit; `and the plate member having a slot for passing wire therethrough open at the free edge and extending across the path of the groove as the bit rotates.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages will appear more fully hereinafter from a consideration of the detailed description which follows, taken together with the accompanying drawings wherein several embodiments of the invention are illustrated by wa` of example. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the 3,311,139 Patented Mar. 28, 1967 ICC drawings are for illustration purposes -only and are not to be construed as dening the limits of the invention.

FIG. 1 is an elevational View of a hand tool wire wrapper made in accordance with the present invention,

FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view illustrating a portion of the sleeve and the novel holding means of the tool of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 is a front View of the sleeve, bit and holding means of FIG. 2,

FG. 5 is a plan view similar to FIG. 2 illustrating a modied holding means in accordance with the present invention, and

FIG. 6 is a sectional View similar to FIG. 3 taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

Although the present invention may be incorporated in a front Wire fed wrapping tool, it is shown in the drawings and will be described herein with respect to a feed through wire wrapper as shown, described, and claimed in rny aforementioned co-pending application. However, it should be understood that this environment is not intended to define the limits of the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings, a wire wrapper hand tool 1l) has a casing 11 with a grip portion 12. A line 15 is connected to an inlet in grip portion 12 to provide a source of pressure fluid. A trigger 13 is provided to actuate a valve 14 in the grip portion 12 to control fiow of pressure fluid from line 15 to a motor 16 which drives a spindle 26 rotatably disposed in casing 11.

A sleeve or tube 17 is fixed to and forms the front end of the casing 11, and the spindle 20 is provided with a winding bit 21 rotatably disposed in the sleeve 17. Bit 21 is provided with the usual blind axial bore 22 to receive a terminal 25 to be wrapped, and an axially disposed peripheral groove 23 for a wire 26 to be wound on a terminal 25 disposed in bore 22. The rearward end of groove 23 has a ramp portion for communication with an axial passage through spindle 21B as shown and described in detail in my co-pending application 225,501. For Wrapping a terminal 25 when spindle 20 and bit 21 are rotated, novel means 30 is provided to hold wire 26 adjacent the portion disposed in groove 23 from rotating.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the novel holding means 30 has an elongated flexible portion 31 connected at one end by welds 18, or any other fastening means well known in the art, to sleeve 17. The liexible portion 31 extends axially along sleeve 17 and is bent vat its other end opposite from welds 18 to provide a plate pontion 32.

Plate portion 32 extends radially toward the axis of rotation of spindle 20 across the'end of tube 17 andbit 21, and terminates at free vedge 33 disposed radially outwar'dly of bore 22 so plate portion 32 does not interfere with reception of a terminal 25. Plate portion 32 has a slot 35 op-en at the free edge 33 and extending across the path of groove 23 as bit 211 rotates so its closed end is axially aligned with the peripheral groove 23 when bit 21 is in its horned position or in a predetermined position prior to winding.

Slot 35 provides a passage for a wire 25 and defines a pair of fingers 34 for hold-ing the portion .the wire 25 therebetween against rotation when the spindle 20 and bit 21 are rotated for wrapping. The free ends of fingers 34 or edge 3-3 of plate portion 32 is iiared outwardly or away from the end of bit 2'1 and overlies windings of the `wire 26 on a terminal 25, as indicated in FIG. 3, forming a retainer which rides over such windings with no deleterious effects to the wire 26 when tool 10 is removed from a wrapped terminal due to the flexibility of the elongated portion 31 of the novel holding means 30.

Flexibliisty of the elongated portion 31 permits further radial displacement of plate portion 32, as indicated in FIIG. 3, to facilitate feeding a wire through slot 35. The plate portion 32 may also be arcuately displaced, Ias Vshown in FIG. 4, by -causing the elongated portion 31 to twist, thus, tending to prevent a wire 25 under excessive tension from breaking while being Wrapped.

Wire 26 abuts or bears against one sic-e of slot 3S when being wrapped on a terminal 25 and, accordingly, the other side of the slot may be ground to provide a blade or cutting edge 36 for severing a Wire 26.

While the novel holding means Sil is shown and described as being made of a single piece of formed material, it cou-ld be a fabricated device. Toward this end, a modified holding means 40, as shown in FIGS. and 6, is comprised of a flexible rod or tube member 4l, cor responding to portion 31 of holding means 3i), that is welded, riveted, or otherwise connected at one end to an end plate or plate member 42, corresponding to plate portion 32 of the Aholding means 30. Plate member 42 has a free edge 43, a slot 45, a pair of dared fingers 44, and a blade 46 lcorresponding to the tree edge 33, the slot 35, the fingers 34, and the blade 36, respectively, of holding means 30.

It should be readily understood that .the flexible wire holding means made in accordance with the present invention can be provided lwith facility, can be of rugged and durable construction and can replace the sleeve with notch or abutment type holders of hand tool wire wrappers presently in use.

Although several embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described in detail, it is to be expressly understood that the invention is not limited thereto. Various changes may be made in the design and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as the same will now Ibe understood by those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. lIn a Wire wrapper tool having a fixed sleeve, and a bit rotatable in the sleeve with a bore along its axis of rotation to receive a terminal to be wrapped and an axially disposed peripheral groove for the wire to be wrapped on a terminal in the bore, means for engaging the wire as the bit rotates for wrapping, comprising:

(a) an elongated resilient member disposed axially along the sleeve;

(b) the elongated member being attached at one end to the sleeve and having a plate member at its other end extending radially toward the axis of rotation of the Ibit and terminating in a free edge disposed radially outward of the bore in the bit; and

(c) the plate member having a slot yfo passing wire therethrough lopen at the free edge and extending across the path ofthe groove as the bit rotates.

2. In a wire tool having a xed sleeve, and a bit rotatable in the sleeve wit-h a bore along its axis of rotation to receive a terminal to be wrapped and an axially disposed peripheral groove for the wire to be wrapped on a terminal in the bore, means for engaging the wire as the bit rotates for wrapping, comprising:

(a) an elongated resilient member disposed axially along the sleeve;

(b) the elongated member being attached at one end to the sleeve and having a plate member at its other end extending radially toward the axis of rotation of the bit and terminating in a free edge disposed radially outward of the bore in the bit;

(c) the plate member having a slot for passing wire therethrough open at the free edge and extending across the path of the groove as the bit rotates; and

(d) the free edge of the plate member being flared away from the end of the sleeve and bit to permit wire wound on a terminal in the bit to radially displace the plate member by ilexing the elongated member as winds of wire are made on the terminal.

3. In a wire wrapper tool having a xed sleeve, and a bit ro ntable in the .sleeve with a bore along its axis d of rotation to receive a terminal to be wrapped and an axially disposed peripheral groove for the wire to be wrapped `on a terminal in the bore, means for engaging the wire as the bit rotates for wrapping, comprising:

(a) an elongated resilient member disposed axially lalong the sleeve;

(b) the elongated member being attached at one end to the sleeve and having a plate member at its other end extending radially toward the axis of rotation of the bit and terminating in a free edge disposed radially outward of the bore in the bit; and

(c) the plate member having a pair lof spaced fingers forming a slot therebetween for passing wire therethrough which is open at the free edge and extends across the path of the groove as the ybit rotates.

4. 1n a wire Wrapper tool having a xed sleeve, and a bit 4rotatable in the sleeve with a bore along its axis of rotation to receive a terminal to be wrapped and an axially disposed peripheral groove for the wire to be wrapped on a terminal in the bore, means -for engaging the wire as the bit rotates for wrapping, comprising:

(a) an elongated resilient member disposed axially along the sleeve;

(b) the elongated member being attached at one end to the sleeve and having a plate member at its other end extending radially toward the axis tot rotation of the bit and terminating in a ffree edge disposed radially outward of the bore in the bit;

(c) the plate member having a pair of spaced lingers forming a slot therebetween for passing wire therethrough which is open at the free edge and extends across the path of the groove as the ,bit rotates; and

(d) the finger forming the side of the slot in the direction of rotation of the bit engaging the wire as the bit rotates, and the other linger providing a blade edge for cutting wire extending through said slot.

5. In a wire wrapper tool having a xed sleeve, and bit rotatable in the sleeve with a bore along its axis of r-otation to receive a terminal to be Wrapped and an axially disposed peripheral groove for the wire to be wrapped on a termina-l in the bore, means for engaging the wire as the bit rotates for Wrapping, comprising:

(a) an elongated member disposed axially along the sleeve providing a resilient body connected at one end to the sleeve and having an enlarged portion at its other end;

(b) the enlarged portion being `bent normal to body to provide a plate member extending radially toward the axis of rotation of the bit and terminating in a free edge disposed radially outward yof the bore in the bit; and

(c) the plate member having a slot for passing wire therethrough open at the tree edge and extending across the path of the groove as the bit rotates.

6. In a Wire wrapper tool having a xed sleeve, and a bit rotatable in the sleeve with a bore along its aixs of rotation to receive a terminal to be wrapped and an axially disposed peripheral groove for the wire to be wrapped on a terminal in the bore, means -for engaging the wire as the bit rotates for wrapping, comprising:

(a) an elongated member disposed yaxially along the sleeve providing a resilient body connected at one end to the sleeve and having an enlarged portion at its other end;

(b) the enlarged portion being 'bent normal to body to provide a plate member extending radially toward the axis of rotation of the bit .and terminating in a free edge disposed radially outward of the bore in the bit; and

(c) the plate mem-ber having a slot for passing wire therethrough open at the free edge and extending across the path of the gro-ove as the bit rotates; and

k(d) the free edge of the plate member being ared away from the end of the sleeve and bit to permit wire wound on a terminal in the 'bit to radially displace the plate member by flexing the elongated member as success winds of wire are made on the terminal. 7. In a wire wrapper tool having a fixed sleeve, and a bit rotatable in the sleeve with a bore along its axis of rotation to receive a terminal to be wrapped and an axially disposed peripheral groove for the wire to be wrapped on a terminal in the bore, means for engaging the wire as the bit rotates for wrapping, comprising:

(a) an e-longated member disposed axially along the sleeve providing a resilient body connected at one end to the sleeve and having an enlarged portion at its other end;

(b) the enlarged portion being bent normal to body to provide a plate member extending radially toward the axis of rotation of the bit and terminating in a free edge disposed radially outward of the bore in the bit; and

(c) the plate member having a pair of spaced lingers forming a slot therebetween for passing wire therethrough which is open at the free edge and extends across the path of the groove as the bit rotates.

8. In a wire wrapper tool having a fixed sleeve, and

a bit rotatable in the sleeve with a bore along its axis of rotation to receive a terminal to be wrapped and an axially disposed peripheral groove for the wire to be Wrapped on a terminal in the bore, means for engaging the wire as the bit rotates for wrapping, comprising:

(a) an elongated member disposed axially along the sleeve providing a resilient body connected at one end to the sleeve and having an enlarged portion at its other end;

(b) the enlarged portion being bent normal to Ibody to provide a plate member extending radially toward the axis of rotation of the bit and terminating in a free edge disposed radially outward of the bore l in the bit;

(c) the plate member having a pair of spaced fingers forming a slot therebetween for passing wire therethrough which is open at the free edge and extends across the path of the groove as the bit rotates; and

(d) the finger forming the side of the slot in the direction of rotation of the bit engaging the wire as the `oit rotates, and the other finger providing a blade edge for cutting wire extending through said slot.

9. In a wire wrapper tool having a fixed sleeve, and a bit rotatable in the sleeve with a bore along its axis of rotation to receive a terminal tb be wrapped and an axially disposed peripheral groove for the wire to be wrapped on a terminal in the bore, means for engaging the wire as the bit rotates for wrapping, comprising:

(a) a rod disposed axially lalong the sleeve providing a resilient body connected at one end to the sleeve and lterminating at its other end adjacent the end of the sleeve;

(b) a plate member connected to the other end of the body being disposed normal to the body, extending radially toward the axis of rotation of the bit and terminating in a free edge disposed radially outward of the bore in the bit; and

(c) the plate member having a slot for passing wire therethrough open at the free edge and extending across the path of the groove as the'bit rotates.

10. In a Wire wrapper tool having a xed sleeve, and a bit rotatable in the sleeve with a bore along its axis of rotation to receive a terminal to be wrapped and an axially disposed peripheral groove for the wire to be wrapped on a terminal in the bore, means for engaging the wire as the bit rotates for wrapping, comprising:

(a) a rod disposed axially along the sleeve providing a resilient body connected at one end to the sleeve and terminating at its other end adjacent the end 'of the sleeve;

(b) a plate member connected to the other end of the body being disposed normal to the body, extending radially toward the axis of rotation of the bit and terminating in a free edge disposed radially outward of the bore in the bit;

(c) the plate member having a slot for passing wire therethrough open at the free edge and extending across the path of the groove as the bit rotates; and

(d) the free edge of the plate member being ared away from the end of the sleeve and bit to permit wire Wound on a terminal in the bit to radially displace the plate member by flexing the elongated member as success winds of wire are made on the terminal.

11. In a wire wrapper tool having a fixed sleeve, and

a lbit rotatable in the sleeve with a bore along its axis of rotation to receive a terminal to be wrapped and an axially disposed peripheral groove for the wire to be wrapped on a terminal in the bore, means for engaging the Wire as the bit rotates for wrapping, comprising:

(a) a rod disposed axially along the sleeve providing a `resilient body connected at one end to the sleeve and terminating at its Lother end adjacent the end of the sleeve;

(b) a plate member connected to the other end of the body being disposed normal to the body, extending radailly toward the axis of rotation of the bit and terminating in a free edge disposed radially Ioutward of the bore in the bit; and

(c) the plate member having a pair of spaced fingers forming a slot therebetween for passing Wire therethrough which .is open at the free edge and extends across the path of the groove as the bit rotates.

12. In a wire wrapper tool having a fixed sleeve, and

a bit rotatable in the sleeve with a bore along its axis of rotation to receive a terminal to be wrapped and an axially disposed peripheral groove for the wire to be wrapped on a terminal in the bore, means for engaging the wire as the bit rotates for wrapping, comprising:

(a) a rod disposed axially along the sleeve providing a resilient body connected at one end to the sleeve and terminating at its other end adjacent the end of the sleeve;

(b) a plate member connected to the other end of the body being disposed normal to the body, extendling radially toward the axis of rotation of the -bit and terminating in a free edge disposed radially outward ofthe bore in the bit;

(c) the plate member having a pair of spaced fingers forming a slot therebetween for passing Wire therethrough which is open at the free edge and extends :across the path of the groove as the bit rotates; and

(d) the finger forming the side of the slot in the direction 'of rotation of the bit engaging lthe wire as the bit rotates, and the other linger providing a blade edge `for cutting wire extending through said slot.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS WILLIAM I. STEPHENSON, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A WIRE WRAPPER TOOL HAVING A FIXED SLEEVE, AND A BIT ROTATABLE IN THE SLEEVE WITH A BORE ALONG ITS AXIS OF ROTATION TO RECEIVE A TERMINAL TO BE WRAPPED AND AN AXIALLY DISPOSED PERIPHERAL GROOVE FOR THE WIRE TO BE WRAPPED ON A TERMINAL IN THE BORE, MEANS FOR ENGAGING THE WIRE AS THE BIT ROTATES FOR WRAPPING, COMPRISING: (A) AN ELONGATED RESILIENT MEMBER DISPOSED AXIALLY ALONG THE SLEEVE; (B) THE ELONGATED MEMBER BEING ATTACHED AT ONE END TO THE SLEEVE AND HAVING A PLATE MEMBER AT ITS OTHER END EXTENDING RADIALLY TOWARD THE AXIS OF ROTATION OF THE BIT AND TERMINATING IN A FREE EDGE DISPOSED RADIALLY OUTWARD OF THE BORE IN THE BIT; AND (C) THE PLATE MEMBER HAVING A SLOT FOR PASSING WIRE THERETHROUGH OPEN AT THE FREE EDGE AND EXTENDING ACROSS THE PATH OF THE GROOVE AS THE BIT ROTATES. 